Nature Communications (Oct 2017)

Bik reduces hyperplastic cells by increasing Bak and activating DAPk1 to juxtapose ER and mitochondria

  • Yohannes A. Mebratu,
  • Ivan Leyva-Baca,
  • Marc G. Wathelet,
  • Neal Lacey,
  • Hitendra S. Chand,
  • Augustine M. K. Choi,
  • Yohannes Tesfaigzi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-00975-w
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Bcl-2 interacting killer (Bik) decreases airway epithelial hyperplasia via apoptosis mediated by calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but the mechanism is unclear. Here the authors show that Bik promotes Bak enrichment at the ER to tether mitochondria for efficient calcium transfer.